Heavy-fuel vaporizer



' Oct. 20, 1925.

4 1,558,230 c. P. BROCKWAY HEAVY FUEL VAPORIZ ER Original Filed ne 21, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'A TTORNEY Oct. 20, 1925. 1558,2130

c. P. BRocK-wAY HEAVY FUEL VAPORIZER Original Filed June 21, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. Carl F Brod: way

Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE.

CARL P. BROCKWAY, O1 IOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH COR- PORATION, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

HEAVY-FUEL VAPOIRIZER.

Application filed June 21, 1919, Serial No. 305,925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL P. BROCKWAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I-IeavyFuel Vaporizers, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in fuel conduits for gas engines and consists in means for vaporizing the heavier fuel particles.

One object of the invention is the provision of means for separating by centrifugal action the heavier, unvaporized particles from the lighter particles as the fuel goes from the carburetor or mixing valve, and then heating the heavier particles only to properly vaporize them.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means in which the force of gravity assists the centrifugal action in the classification of the fuel particles.

A further object is the utilization in connection with the above means, of the engine exhaust for accomplishing the vaporization of the heavier fuel particles.

Other objects, and objects relating to details of construction and economies of manufacture, will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention, which, for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accom anying drawings, in which:

Figure I is a view partly in elevation, and partly in section of apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. II is a view at right angles to Fig. I, partly in section on the line IIII, Fig. I.

Fig. III is a side elevational view of the fuel conduit.

Fig. IV is a longitudinal, sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. V is a View partly in section on the line V-V, Fig. IV.

Fig. VI is a cross section of the line VIVI, Fig. IV.

Fig. VII is a side elevation of the conduit shown in Fig. IV.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the views.

In the drawings, 10 indicates the cylinder of an internal combustion engine, 11 being the exhaust port and 12 the intake port thereof. A carburetor or mixing valve 18 Renewed February 19, 1924.

of any desired character may be employed. Suction from the engine draws fuel from the carburetor through a horizontal portion let of the fuel conduit. Below the horizontal portion 1 1 is another horizontal portion connected to said first portion by a 180 degree turn. The lower horizontal portion contains two passages 15 and 16. The turn in the conduit is indicated on the drawing by the numeral 17. From the horizontal passage 15 a downwardly inclined passage 18 leads to the intake port 12, and opening 19 connects the passage 18 with the lower horizontal passage 16.

The exhaust port 11 opens into a muffler 20, which discharges a portion of the exhaust gas into the atmosphere and the balance into a pipe 21 which communicates with one end of a chamber 22 that is so formed as to extend partially around the passage 16 and for a short distance along at least one side of the passage 17. The exact extent to which the passages 16 and 17 are enclosed by the chamber 22 is immaterial and may vary considerably in practwo.

The modification illustrated in Figs. IV to VII inclusive is like that of Figs. Ito III except that instead of causing the heavier particles to pass through a single heated passage, I have shown a series of small tubes 25, each subjected on all sides to the heat of a chamber 26, similar in form and function to the chamber 22 of the first modification.

The operation of the device will be obvious from the above description. While the engine is running, its suction draws fuel from carburetor 13 into the upper portion 14 of the fuel conduit. As the fuel moves downwardly in response to the suction from passage 15, the lighter particles are drawn freely through the conduit 14, pass through 17 and follow the lines of least resistance, therefore passing through the conduit 15 to the engine. The heavier particles however, are thrown outwardly by reason of centrifugal force, and some that are still in the form of liquid globules collect upon the outer walls of passage 17 and are carried downward by gravity. In moving through the heated passages 17 and 16, or the tubes 25, as the case may be, these heavier particles are vaporized, and thereafter pass out into the lower part of passage 18 and there mix with the unheated lighter particles of the mixture and thence. to the engine intake. The opening 19 in the embodiment of Pi". I is of such a dimension as are the tubes 2:) in the embodiment of Fig. IV that the heavier particles are delayed in their progress to the engine in order to properly vaporize the same. The aporized fuel from these passages mixes with the fuel coming from passa 'e 15 in the conduit 18 and reaches the intake port 12 by a relatively short connec tion if desired. Thus, the heat from the o3;- haust is utilized, not for Warming the entire volume of gas taken into the engine, but only that part of the mixture which is most in need of heat.

I am aware that the particular embodiment of my invention above described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, susceptible of considerable variation without departing from the spirit thereof, and therefore I desire to claim my invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated by the a ended claims.

I claim as my invention:

' In a fuel intake conduit for is engines, means for separating the heavier particles of the fuel from the lighter particles. an air passage for said heavier fuel particles, and means for heating said separated heavier particles only.

In a. fuel intake conduit for gas engines. means for separating ti heavier particles of the fuel from the lighter particles by a combined gravity and centrifugal action, a separate air iassage for the heavy fuel particles, and a means for heating the said heavier particles only.

3. In a fuel intake conduit for gas engines. means for separating the heavier particles of the fuel from the lighter particles by means of centrifugal action, a separate air pas way for the heavy fuel particles. and a heating means arranged to exclusively heat the heavier particles immediately after separation.

4. A fuel intake conduit for gas engines having a 180 degree turn, whereby the light and heavy fuel particles eparated; a double gas passage on the engine end of said turn for the separate conduction of the light and heavy gas particles; and means for heating the heavy particle passage only.

5. A fuel intake conduit for engines having a 180 degree turn, an interconnected double gas passage way on the engine side of said turn; and means for heating one only of said passage ways.

6. A fuel intake conduit for gas engines having a horizontal portion and a second horizontal portion doubled back underneath the first named portion, said lower portion being divided horizontally, and heating means for the bottom division only thereof.

7. A fuel intake conduit for gas engines ioriazontal portion doubled back underneath ne first named portion, said lower portion being diyided horizontally, and an engine exhaust conductor adjacent the lower division of said second horizontal portion.

8. In a fuel intake conduit for internal combustion engines, means for separating the heavier PilltlCltS of the fuel from the lighter particles, means for directing the heavier particles through long and narrow gas passages, means for vaporizing the heavier particles in the said passages, and means for causing the lighter particles and the vaporized heavier particles to commingle on their way to the engine.

9. In a fuel intake conduit for internal combustion engines, means for separating the heavier particles of fuel from the lighter particles by an abrupt change of direction of the flow of the fuel, means for heating the heavier particles, means for conducting the separated heavy fuel particles to the heating means, and means for checking the [low of the heavier articles in the heating means.

10. In a device of the character described, a fuel conduit for conreying fuel to an internal combustion engine, means for separatingthe heavier particles of fuel from the lighter particles including a normally open gas issage for the lighter particles and a normally open gas passage for the heavier particles. means for vaporizing the heavier particles, and means for conveying the vaporized fuel directly into the said lighter particles.

11. A. fuel intake for gas engines comprising a main passage and a branch passage, said branch passage forming a conduit for the unrestricted flow of gas from and to said main passage.

12. A fuel intake for gas engines, comllSll]'-." a single inlet conduit and dual outhavinc" a horiwntal DOIlJlOIl and a second 1 C3 conduits one of said outlet conduits forma passage for the vaporized fuel only and the other of said conduits forming a passage for the unvaporized air suspended fuel particles.

13. A fuel intake for gas engines, comprising a single inlet conduit and dual outlet conduits one of said outlet conduits forming a passage for the vaporized fuel and the other of said conduits forming a passage for the unvaporized air suspended fuel particles, said outlet conduits re-combining at an opening adjacent the base of the unvaporized fuel conduit.

14. A fuel intake for gas engines, com prising a main conduit and a branch conduit, said branch conduit having a re-entry opening into said main conduit at a point above the lowermost point of said branch whereby a free port for the passage of gases is provided.

In a fuel intake for gas engines, the combination of a main conduit having a horizontal section; a branch conduit positioned adjacent the horizontal section of the main conduit, said branch conduit having a free inlet opening into the main conduit at one end of said horizontal section, and a free outlet opening into the main conduit at the other end of said section.

16. In a fuel intake for gas engines, the combination of a main conduit having a horizontal section; a branch conduit positioned adjacent the horizontal section of the main conduit, said branch conduit having a free inlet opening into the main conduit at one end of said horizontal section, and a free outlet opening into the main conduit at the other end of said section, said outlet opening being positioned above the lowermost point of said branch conduit.

17 An intake connection for an internal combustion engine having means for automatically separating the heavier fuel particles from the mixture flowing through said connection, means for heating said heavier fuel particles after their separation from the mixture, and means for returning to said intake connection in substantially constant proportions to the mixture in said connection, the vapor generated by the heating of said heavier fuel particles.

18. An intake connection for an internal combustion engine comprising a heating chamber, a main intake passage through said connection, and means for automatically separating the heavier fuel particles from the mixture flowing through said passage and by-passing them in substantially constant proportions through said heating chamber.

19. An intake connection for an internal combustion engine comprising a main intake passage, a heating chamber, a bypass leading from said passage to said heating chamber, and an outlet from said chamber to said intake passage, the passages through said main intake and said by-pass being substantially constant.

20. An intake connection for an internal combustion engine comprising a main in take passage and a heating chamber so located and connected with the passage that the heavier fuel particles of the mixture flowing through said passage are thrown centrifugally into said heating chamber and pass therethrough in substantially constant relation to the intake gases.

21. An intake connection for an internal combustion engine comprising a main intake passage, means for automatically separating the heavier fuel particles from the mixture flowing through said passage, means for vaporizing said separated fuel particles, and means for returning the vapors thus formed in substantially constant proportions to said intake passage. 7

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

CARL P. BROCKW'AY.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,558,230, granted October 20, 1925, upon the application of Carl P. Brockway, of Toledo, Ohio, for an improvement in Heavy-*1? nel Vaporizers, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 38, claim 2, after the Word particles insert the Words after separation; and tl'mt the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiiee.

Signed and sealed this 23d day of February, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL] WM. A. KINNAN,

\ Acting Omywne'ssiomer of Patents. 

